Lonely Crescent
by Dot-chan
Summary: (ch1) Iori Yagami meets with a rather familiar face as he enjoys a cold day. (ch2) Yet another familar face and the truth.
1. Default Chapter Title

# _Lonely Crescent_

Chapter1:  
Thoughts

> _The life of a loner is not as wonderful as some people may think. In a world where technology has taken over and the overwhelming demand for those who understand how it works, people feel that the stress is too overpowering. These are the people who believe in loneliness. They dream of discarding the world of technology and meaningless competition and live a free and pleasant life where they don't have to fight for their own space in line for a sandwich that isn't worth eating, or for a decent job that pays enough only for a roof over their heads. They dream of a place where they can do, say, think, and feel what they want, and not have to answer to anyone. But, as glorious as this sounds, it's not what they think. The life of a loner is still competitive, is still stressful, and most of all, lonely....._
> 
> The rain fell silently on this cold, winter morning. The bright, warming rays of the sun were blocked out by the dark coldness of the clouds._ Everything's in competition_, he observed from the window. _No matter what people may think, nothing is at peace with each other. The world is a constant cycle of competition._ The observer watched through his crimson hair as the rain fell down on the half empty streets of Paris. _No one in their right mind would go out in this kind of weather, even if it is days before Christmas; it's just perfect._ With a satisfied look in his calm eyes he sat up, grabbed his long, leather trench coat and walked out to the sharp rain. He needed this to clear his mind, to think and observe without the distractions that have been plaguing him.
> 
> The bitter cold wind bit at him sharply, but it didn't bother him; he was immune to small pain such as this or any other. As he walked through the back alleys, he could very well see the answer to the believers of loneliness, the vagabonds that beg like dogs for scraps of food, a drink or two of a strong spirit, or a warm place to sleep. _These are the people that pursued the empty dreams of loneliness; and this is what they have to show for it._ Iori Yagami walked slowly through the alley that housed these examples of forgotten hope, remembering when he himself had that dream. _Nothing but lies..._
> 
> As he walked on, the effects of the cold were finally taking its toll. He walked into one of the only bars opened so early in the morning. The warmth was the only thing he cared for here. _It's too cozy,_ he jokenly thought to himself. He stood for a while then sat himself down in a corner next to the window. Automatically, a waitress happily walked up as the red-head placed a cigarette in his mouth and began to light it.
> 
> "Excuse me," the young, blond waitress called, "you're not allowed to smoke here this early." There was a nervous tone in sweet voice as she noticed her custumer giving her a long stare, then calmly crush the cigarette on the window sill. "Now, Sir, my I take your order?" she hesitantly continued.
> 
> Iori was quiet for a moment. "Just get me something to drink."
> 
> "Anything in particular? Right now our hot chocolate and tea are...."
> 
> "Anything." Iori repeated.
> 
> The waitress was taken aback but she obeyed his wish and walked away, thinking of the right drink to serve this intriguing man. Minutes later, she came back with a warm glass of tea. "I hope you enjoy it." she said happily, "It's the owner's special recipe; she said she made it just for you." the waitress said, pointing back at the bar.
> 
> Iori was caught by surprise as he saw a familiar face smiling and toasting a cup of coffee to him, her short, boyish, blond hair neatly combed back and her traditional maroon tuxedo doing for her what so many guys wish. _King? Then this must be Illusion_. He looked up at the waitress. "Tell her I said "thank you."
> 
> "Well," the waitress continued nervously, "she also said you're welcome here anytime and you can stay for as long as you want. She also reserved this booth for you and has already started a tab."
> 
> A small thankful smile cracked on his face as he watched the waitress walk away.
> 
> The whole morning Iori sat in his corner, drinking the warm tea. He never mind being in one place for hours, and the warmth provided by this restaurant was just fine. For most of the morning, as he looked out the window, he'd watch wrongful deeds being committed- car-jacking, pick-pocketing, or a bloody fight- but he thought nothing to help. "I'm just an observer," he told himself. No matter what happened he never second thought his decision to keep out.
> 
> As he was preparing to leave, the echoes of a scream sounded. It caught him by surprise, but he thought nothing of it. He could hear the heavy footfalls of two or so people running and the shouting of a girl to her pursuer; but, still, Iori thought nothing of the situation. As he was within reach of the door a loud thump and the high cracking of glass sounded from the corner he came from. The waitresses and customers spoke suddenly with a loud gasp as a young girl was shoved hard against the glass.
> 
> Iori watched calmly but curiously at the act, then walked out and saw a large man in black with his arm across the young girl's chest, pushing her harder against the glass; her screams of pain were nothing to either of the two men. Iori walked away as he noticed her staring at him with pleading eyes. She repeatedly called for his help but he ignored her. A small part in his mind told him it wouldn't be right to walk away from this killing, but it was drowned out by the thoughts of an observer. As he walked he noticed a great deal of people watching him. _Damn!_ Quickly, he turned around and ran at the attacker, grabbing his head and striking him to the ground, then picked him up slammed him through the glass.
> 
> The short-haired girl looked up at her savior. "Thank you," she whispered in pain. 
> 
> Yagami looked down at her. "Baka! If you would've been more careful that wouldn't have happened."
> 
> "It's not my fault. He was looking for my brother; I just called him an "ass" after he cursed his name." She stood up slowly and extended her bloody hand, "My name is..."
> 
> "I don't care," Iori interrupted. With that he walked away.
> 
> Before he got to far, King rushed out the door with a piece of broken chair. "I do all this for you and wrek my bar?!" she shouted, furious. "This is going on your tab you know!"
> 
> Iori merely waved his hand in compliance.
> 
> The young girl watched her savior walk away. _He seems to have a lot on his mind... His eyes..._ She looked at at her unconscious attacker, _they're so lonely._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

> It was well past noon when Iori reached his hotel. The rain was still falling, but even harder now; and soft thunder rolled across the sky and echoed well passed hearing. _The perfect whether_, Iori thought, appeased by his luck. So far his morning was fine; he, surprisingly enough, met up with _Illusion's_ famous owner, King. He liked not having to see any of the other KoF team members, but he didn't mind a quick meeting with some of them; especially those who kept to themselves like the bartender. And that bar tab was just perfect for him; _Illusion_ is a famous restaurant and with this tab Iori could have an "all-you-can-eat," or "-drink" if he's feeling a little down. But the meeting with that girl... _She seemed familiar somehow. Where have I seen that face before?_ Iori paused. _It's doesn't matter. There's an unlikely chance I'll see her again._ His morning walk was over with now, and the highlight of the day - smashing some guys head through glass - was over. Iori had nothing to do. _When you're a loner, you're bord._
> 
> Iori sat by the window, guitar in hand, and watched the cold, sharp rain fall upon the earth; observing once again the now heavily pack streets. _Everyone's getting ready for Christmas two weeks in advance. Every year it's the same thing: those who pass up the dream of solitude work harder than before and, only once a year, they feel happy._ He looked away and pulled out a white envelope edged in gold trimming from his pocket. He turned it over and studied the gold seal with the initial "C" engraved on it. _How many different people are going to send this out?_ he thought, breaking the seal with his finger and taking a sheet of paper out. Quickly, he read it with a smirk, already knowing the gist of it.
> 
> "So, they want me back, do they? No surprise there." He went over it again. "I'm one of only two people who can enter alone? And there's six months to get ready. I guess they want people to be more prepared for this one than the last." His mind drifted back to the events that happened in the previous tournaments; his most unforgettable, that of the last - the Riot of Blood that cost his teammates their lives. "I can still hear their screams echo continuously in my mind," the red-head Yagami laid his head back and closed his eyes, "and see the horrified look on their lovely faces as I ripped their bodies apart." He opened them and stared at two long objects dangling from the wall - one red, the other white. "No more of them... No more of those slow cowards... No more Eiji Kisaragi; no more Billy Kane; and, definitely, no more Mature or Vice. No more "Yagami Team".... just me." With a calm smile on his face, he lifted the letter close to his face and softly kissed it. _Just me..._

* * *

Chapter 2:  
Carnival

> Two days of solitude have passed for Iori Yagami; two days of quiet thoughts and meditation for his power. He wanted to prepare for his training by calling on his still growing flame and strengthen it for battles that he anticipate would come searching for him, or vice versa. _Maybe I can challenge the bar-tender later_, he thought, recalling the previous King of Fighters where they fought for the first time. She was so much stronger than any of the women that he battled and, in a careless act of underestimating her strength, almost cost him the match. A guilty smiled cracked on his face, _Maybe I should not have been so rough with her when finishing the fight._ He sat quietly on his bed, staring out the window. The rain had stopped, but, now that the temperature had dropped, flakes of snow fell in its place. _Two days of no food, water, or bed rest._ "Time to hit the bar!"
> 
> The day was colder than any other in Paris with more than a foot of snow falling each hour; once again, it didn't bother him for most of the way. Every once in a while he'd stop to think about the KoF and this years hidden agenda. Without realizing, he'd look up and, with a hidden smile, watch the snow fall upon him. _Pure, untainted snow._ He continued on and finally reached the snow-blocked door of _Illusion_. A sign hanging on the glass read "CLOSED DUE TO WEATHER", but he saw people eating and talking inside; he didn't walk so far just to be turned away. He knocked on the glass door until the waitress from before answered from behind the glass. "Mr. Yagami?" she answered, surprised. "I'm sorry but Miss. King has closed the bar until the snow-fall calms down. I'm afraid the door is sealed tightly with ice aswell." Her tone of voice became nervous as Iori stared steadily at her, just as before.
> 
> "This is an hour walk from where I'm staying. I'm not walking back until I get something to eat and drink from here," he replied calmly. He knew he was scaring her even though he didn't mean it, so maybe she would let him in. They stared at eachother for long seconds until the silence was broken.
> 
> "Sally," they heard King's voice call, "who's at the door?" 
> 
> Sally turned away and answered. 
> 
> King approached the door, waving a quick "Hello" and pointing to the door's edges. "I am sorry Yagami, but, as much as I'd like to let in, the door's jammed."
> 
> _She can't break through the ice herself?_ Iori grabbed the door handle and pulled it towards himself, breaking the thick ice with ease. "You couldn't do that yourself?" he sneered. "And here I was about to ask you for a simple favor."
> 
> King wasn't at all surprised. She held the door open and allowed him to pass. "You just saved us hours of lost business; whatever you need, ask. Do you want your spot by the window today?" Iori nodded calmly as King ordered his food and tea for him. He noticed quite a few people leave as soon as the door opened. _Probably have been here all day._ He sat and did as before, observe. Even with the heavy snow-fall people were still busy with their Christmas shopping.
> 
> The time came and went, and the sun was setting beautifully after three hours. Before Iori left he waited to see the owner again. "King," he started, following her from table to table as she helped take orders, "I need something from you."
> 
> She looked up surprised. "Well sure Yagami, just ask."
> 
> He hesitated. It seemed easy enough when he thought this over in his mind, but asking for a fight from someone like King was difficult; especially if you detest violence. "I... came to...uh..." He looked away, thinking of the right way to finish this, but, before he could, he was interrupted by an uncomfortable pinch in his rear-end. Annoyed, he turned to the direction of childish giggling and found a young woman clad in pink, out-of-season skirt and jacket, her back turned to him. Ignoring her, Iori turned back to King who was already back at the bar.
> 
> "I'm a little busy right now! We can talk later, is that alright?" 
> 
> _Damnit!_ Iori started for the door when he felt someone grab his wrist and pull him back.
> 
> "Iori Yagami," a soft voice called, "I wouldn't expect to find someone like you in "The City of Lights". Visiting someone special?" she teased.
> 
> Iori stared at her, trying to remember where he's seen her face, or, rather, some of her face before; her, long curved bangs hid most of her appearance from the world. "You're... Shermie from CYS." he answered with a hint of disgust.
> 
> "Hey, you did remember me."
> 
> Iori sneered. "So, then the other two losers should be close by." He glanced in every direction trying to find her companions.
> 
> "I resent that!" she replied in anger. "You shouldn't say things like that about people who aren't even here."
> 
> "So you're alone?"
> 
> She nodded with a weak smile. "Yeah. I came here to visit my grandmother before she passed away two days ago." She was quiet for a moment then regained her jubilant smile. "Yashiro and Chris are still in Japan."
> 
> _Of course he's not here when I need someone to insult. _
> 
> "So," Shermie went on, placing her finger on the table infront of Iori, "why are you here?
> 
> Iori was becoming annoyed. "I don't think that's really any of your business. I don't even know why I'm talking to you." He stood up and walked away.
> 
> Shermie was shocked by Iori's rudeness but she was somewhat used to it. Everytime she and her band partners would run into him on the streets, he never failed to insult them or their music. She didn't mind at all if he talked bad about their playing, but her friendship and loyalty to Yashiro Nanakase and Chris was too strong let him get away with insults to them. She got up and quickly ran to catch up with him before he left. "Since you're the only other person I haven't seen yet," she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled, "I thought that maybe we could put our small rivalry behind us just for now and you and I could go somewhere or do something together; just to talk maybe."
> 
> Iori looked at her steadily with narrowed eyes. He grabbed her wrist, squeezing slightly but enough to cause some pain. "I really don't have time to waste on a date with you." He answered calmly but sternly. "Why don't you go back to Yashiro and the other one and try to succeed in writing a descent song?" As he stared at her he caught a glint of gold from behind her low-cut jacket. _That's not....?_ Furious, he tightened his grip on Shermie's wrist, twisting her arm behind her back painfully and bringing her closer.
> 
> "What the hell are you doing?!" She tried twisting away but his powerful hold refused to let her go. 
> 
> Never taking his eyes away from her's, he reached inside her jacket and pulled out a gold-trimmed envelope; letting Shermie go free. "Where did you get this?!" he asked, reading her name written on the front.
> 
> Shermie stared at him for a moment, curious and angry. "Someone... pinned it on my grandmother's door." She noticed him turn it around. "You haven't opened it yet?" she heard him ask. "No."
> 
> "Have the other two received one?"
> 
> "I don't know, I got it just yesterday."
> 
> _There's no way I'm letting them compete. If they're down one they can't enter as a team._ He slipped the letter in his pocket and walked off.
> 
> "Iori!" Shermie called after him. "I don't even know what that's for! Give it back!" She ran after him in the cold weather. "Iori!" Looking up and down the streets she finally spotted him a good distance from the bar.
> 
> Iori heard Shermie's calls in the distance but he didn't bother waiting, to him she was just another member in another rival band. He did, though, admit that she was a beauty, and the way she kept her eyes concealed, as if hiding a secret, made Iori even more interested in her. He was determined to find out her secret; he hated having to know that there were secrets in his rivals. He continued to walk, but slower than before; a small thought inside him told him to allow her to catch up. Even though he could hear her footfalls as she ran, he made no effort to walk faster. At last, he could hear her just behind him. He expected her to run up beside him, but, to his surprise, she leaped onto his shoulder performing a quick one-handstand, and landed before him with a small twist.
> 
> "Give me that letter!" she immediately commanded.
> 
> Iori gave her a quick smirk and reached his hand towards her face. "Are you angry with me now? It's so hard to tell when you keep your eyes hidden away like this," he said softly, moving strands of hair from her face, but she jolted back before anything was revealed.
> 
> "Don't you dare!" she warned aggressively. "Give me back that letter!"
> 
> Iori looked at her with false curiosity. " 'Don't you dare give me back that letter'? Well, if you changed your mind already..."
> 
> "That's not what I meant. Please, Iori, give it back."
> 
> _No matter who it is, Iori Yagami does not give in easily._ "You do want it? You're just going to have to get it from me." He smiled as he slipped it into his pocket. "If you want it, get it."
> 
> Shermie wasn't sure about this.
> 
> "Well?" he challenged with a grin. 
> 
> Hesitant, she walked closer to him. They stared at eachother contemptuously for seconds until Shermie backed away.
> 
> "What's wrong?" Iori teased. "You seemed willing enough to try."
> 
> "I know you're stronger than me... I'm at a disadvantage."
> 
> A calm smile appeared on his face again. "Very well..." He pulled out the envelope, untied his black collar, and retied it to his arm along with the letter. "To make it easier for you." He raised his arm. "Now will you try?"
> 
> "Why do you have to make this difficult?" Shermie growled.
> 
> "You know why."
> 
> _My Spiral'll hopefully surprise him_, she thought to herself. She dug her buckled, pink boots into the snow for a strong push in her dash. As she was about to charge, a heavy object tackled her from the side and into the street. "Damnit!"
> 
> Iori watched curiously as a weak, short-haired, and somewhat familiar, girl apologized and pleaded. "Please," he heard her beg, "help me! There's someone after me!"
> 
> _Why is this familiar?_ As he listened to her talk to Shermie, he argued with himself on whether or not to help, but, as before, the thoughts of the observer overruled. He stayed only to see what Shermie would do.
> 
> "Why is this person after you?" she asked the shaken girl.
> 
> "I... don't know." The girl's eyes widened as she turned to Iori. "You are ... the one who saved me from before!"
> 
> _Hell, it's that girl from the other day!_
> 
> "If you could beat him once, you can do it again."
> 
> Iori looked down at the girl with disconcern. "I helped once, that was all. And it's not like I cared whether you died or not, but there are laws that say you must help if someone is in danger; there were too many people watching."
> 
> The girl's heart sank. "Please, help me this one last time and I'll never ask anything of you again."
> 
> Ignoring her, Iori walked away, only to be stopped by maniacal laughter echoing from above. All three looked up to the rooftop of a department store where they saw a silhouette of a large man arching his back and laughing at the sky.
> 
> "What the hell is that?" Iori looked back and saw an unhidden terror in the girl's tearing eyes.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Hope you liked this one as much as Kage no Kumo. Thanks^^ Copyright SNK


	2. Default Chapter Title

# _Lonely Crescent_

Chapter 3:  
Window

Iori could feel a strong aura surround the man as he watched him leap off the building in a frenzy of laughter. He'd never felt it before during any fights he had on the streets or during any of the KoF tournaments, it was new to him.

"Well, hey, if he comments suicide then we have no problem," Shermie said with a "that-freak-is-better-of-dead-anyway" tone in her voice.

The girl didn't replied.

_He's not going to be fazed by any of this_, Iori thought as the man came closer and closer to the ground; people gathered and spoke wildly as they watched in horror at the man seemingly taking his own life. Iori smiled as he turned the other direction and walked away. _I'd really like to see how Shermie's going to handle this._ He heard a loud crash of shattering cement as the man landed behind him with a snicker. The on-lookers spoke and whispered even more as they saw not one scratch on his body, or even his black slacks or vest.

The young girl become petrified as she saw him land and stand with no problems. "Please, Sir, you have to help me..." she whispered hoarsely as Iori began to leave.

He said nothing.

"Don't worry kid," Shermie said calmly, "I'll help you out. You'd be surprise at what talking your problems out can do."

The man laughed again at her proposal as if it were the best joke he'd ever heard.

_Baka!_ Iori stopped and waited for her to "talk the girl's problems away".

"Good evening Monsieur," Shermie started, walking up to him with confidence, "I couldn't help but intrude in your plans to hurt young mademoiselle. I am curious as to why that is. I'm sure a simple apology from whom ever started this will surely make both of you feel better." She paused with a smile, waiting for an answer from either one of them. After a few seconds of silence she heard laughter start from both men. "Hey! At least it shows that I try to take care of the younger generation instead of ignoring their plea for help or unjustly killing them." Both laughter stopped. Shermie could feel a cold stare fix on her from both sides.

"You think I unjustly kill?" the man in black questioned in a low whisper. He smiled. "You have no idea." He grabbed her by the neck and tightened his hold around her; she didn't even see his arm move at all from his side, his reflexes too quick for her to have notice. She could feel the life being squeezed out of her slowly and painfully. Her eyes began to blur as she saw the man pull his head back with a soft cackle and snap it forward, crashing against her's hard. With a satisfied grin, he dropped and kick her back to the frightened girl. A sharp pain filled her body as she skidded to a halt through the snow.

"See what kind of trouble talking gets you into?" He turned to the girl and gestured for her to come to him. "It's your turn now, kid."

Iori watched uncaring at the girl and her attacker. He was actually surprised that he didn't feel the man's aura when he first stopped him from killing that girl. He could tell that he was incredibly strong, maybe as strong as he himself, but it didn't matter to him. He looked down at Shermie who was still conscious and in pain, and scoffed at her stupidity. As he turned to walk away a large blade struck the sidewalk before him.

"You're not going anywhere," the man sneered with his hands in his pockets. "I do remember you. No one strikes down the great Ryuji Yamazaki like that and gets away with it!"

Iori turned his head with a smile. "Ryuji Yamazaki? I've heard of you - an assassin for heir who's insanity is feared even by the greatest Yakuza leaders - you have quite the reputation." He saw a quick smirk appeared on Yamazaki's face as he talked.

"My reputation as a psycho is nothing compared to that of a fighter." He turned to the girl and sneered as she looked at him with widened eyes. "I'm still not done with you, girlie." He ripped his hand out of his left pocket in a blurred motion, sending an object flying towards her. His grin turned to a frown, though, as his attack was stopped by Shermie. "I thought I killed you," he growled.

"_I_ am much tougher than I look!" She looked at the large dagger in her hands, the blade about a foot long. "Well," Shermie laughed nervously, "this would've done some damage if it did hit, no?" She threw it to the ground with a now serious look on her face. "Bastard, you tried to kill me; I will _not_ forgive that." She held her hand up in her fighting stance.

The frightened girl watched as Shermie stood ready to fight; she was amazed at how she was able to get back up from an attack like that. She looked back at Iori who was also keeping a vigilant watch on the two. He seemed calm about all of this, and his eyes steady, never showing any signs of fear or even hatred. He looked so safe to her that no one would able to harm him or anyone he was with. _If I could just stay close to him...,_ she thought. Remembering the fight, she glanced back only to see Shermie getting punched in the stomach and thrown to the ground. "Down!" she heard Yamazaki shout as Shermie struggled to get back up. With great force he kicked her again in the stomach then brought his heal down hard on her shoulder.

Thinking that finally did it, he turned back to the girl. "_Now_ it's your turn..." He stopped as he felt someone wrapping their arms around him.

Shermie called in a sing-song voice, "I don't go down that easily." With every muscle in her body, she lifted Yamazaki up enough to give him a devastating suplex, quickly picking herself up and, with a sweet giggle, brought her knee down to his stomach and jumped back. "If you underestimate me like that again, I'll be sure to teach you another lesson." She walked back to the girl with a weak smile, showing that she was still in pain.

"You surprised me, Shermie," Iori said calmly, "I didn't think someone like you could preform a stunt like that." He was in fact shocked by the fact that she was able to do a suplex so well, especially if it was on someone as big as Yamazaki. He closed is eyes and thought about this guy. He could be another participant in the tournament. He opened his eyes again when he felt someone pulling him away.

"Hurry up you, if we can get as far away as we can before he wakes up, we won't have to worry about him following, or that stupid laugh," Shermie said, pulling on Iori's arm.

He jerked away as they turned the corner. "You go your own way, there's no need for me to hide from someone like that; especially if it's with either of you." He walked a few feet down the sidewalk and glanced back. "Why are you following me?!" he growled at Shermie and the girl who were right at his heels.

"We'd feel sooo much safer if we stayed with you for a while," Shermie smiled.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

At well past seven, the sun had just about finished setting, leaving the sky in darken swirls of purples, blues, and oranges, and the snow fall had calmed down to some flurries drifting in the wind. Most who brave the dangers of the night had taken a quiet stroll down to the open parks surrounding a vast lake.

Calm and cool, Iori leaned against the railing of a bridge overlooking the lake, allowing the crisp winter air to blow at his face. _It's so calm_, he thought, watching a few late migrating geese swim and rest in the cool water.

"So, what's your name," Shermie asked, interrupting Iori's serene moment.

"It's Yuki," the girl answered. "And your's?"

"Shermie." She sat down on the railing next to Iori. "You never did say why that guy was trying to kill you. You owe him some money or something?"

Yuki giggled and leaned her back on the bridge. "No, nothing like that. All I did was just call him an "ass" when he stopped by looking for my brother. For some reason, that made him mad."

Both were quiet for a while. 

"Well, I guess there _are_ bigger assess than you Iori." Shermie teased.

"What the hell the you say...?"

"Nothing. So, Yuki, why was Yamazaki looking for your brother?"

Yuki stared at the darkening sky for a moment. "I don't really know. I think it has something to do with fighting him for some reason." She looked at Shermie and smiled. "He's getting ready for the King Of Fighters tournament, have you heard of it?"

" 'King... of Fighters'...? Can't say that I have. What's the deal?"

"Well," she pulled out an envelope from her pocket, "he got this for the fourth year in a row now, it's an invitation to those worthy enough to join. The prize for the winning team is some money and the title of being the King of Fighters till the next year it's held." She stopped as soon as she saw Shermie bitting her lip and turning to Iori.

"Is that what that letter was?!" she growled. 

"Maybe..." He took it from his arm and shoved it back into her jacket. Iori glanced over to Yuki with calm but suspicious eyes. "Who's your brother?"

"His name is Kyo," she announced with a prideful smile, "Kyo Kusanagi."

_Kusanagi?! That girl is Kyo Kusanagi's younger sister?_ He stared at her with narrow, hateful eyes. "Brat, you didn't say anything about being Kusanagi to me."

Yuki was shocked. She looked at him sorry eyes even though she didn't know what he was upset about. "You wouldn't hear me out when I was going to tell you my name; I didn't really think it mattered anyway. Why are you upset?"

He looked at her with a devilish sneer. "You have no idea who I am, do you?" He waited for her to shake her head. "I'm your family's rival, Iori Yagami." He saw the astonishment clearly in her eyes but there was no fear; she was not at all afraid. "I heard Kyo disappeared after last year's KoF and hasn't shown up in Japan since." Tightening his fist, he gave the younger girl a threatening look. "Well, where is he? Whether be in the presence of a million people or the secluded surroundings of the mountains, I _will _have his blood!"

Yuki was silent in thought. This man was definitely going to hunt her dear brother down whether she were to tell or not. She heard some rumors that Kyo had come to Europe to train but she didn't know if it were true. "I don't know at all where he is. And even if I did, he means too much to me to tell you!"

All was calm as a cold wind blew. Shermie didn't know at all what any of this was about so she decided it would make her seem less confused if she were to keep her mouth shut. She could feel Iori and Yuki stare coldly at eachother with her in the crossfire. With a nervous and somewhat polite smile, she walked to the other side of the bridge. 

Yuki had never met the man that her brother constantly talked about with hatred. She always thought it as a small rivalry that her father persuaded him to succeed in, but, after she had heard about the terrible fate the Yagami Team had suffered in the pervious battle, she learned that it was much more than that. She had great confidence in her brother's power and strength, but she also knew that the Yagamis were a powerful family, and the last surviving member of the name was a "cold, unfeeling, blood-thirsty savage with little or no passion for his opponent's life"-or so Kyo says.

"Would you kill him if you did find him?" she asked without thought.

"Of course I would," Iori answered, looking back to the lake. "It's my one purpose in life..."

"But you don't seem at all the way they described you." She paused for a second then continued. "They say that you have no feelings when it comes to other people's, and, in the midst of a fight, if one were to look into your eyes a cold chill would run up their spines."

"Makes me seem like I'm some kind of demon," he replied with sneer.

"They say that a person's eyes are windows to their soul. I've never seen you fight, but if what Kyo and Benimaru say is true, then your soul _is_ that of a demon..." She stopped when she saw his face return to it's calm state and he walked away with a scoff. "It's not at all true what Kyo says about you," she shouted to him as he walked off the bridge. "A demon would never help another person like you did, even once!"

_Stupid girls say stupid things is what I think! _

* * *

Chapter 4:  
Challenge

_''They say that you have no feelings for others'... and in the midst of a fight your eyes send chills up and down the spines of those who dare to look into them...'_

_'...It makes me seem like I'm some kind of demon.'_

The last bit of conversation she had with Iori Yagami played back in Yuki's mind as she woke up from a long night's rest. _Makes him seem like some kind of demon..._ She had always heard about the "blood-thirsty" only-son of the now extinguished Yagami family, how he not only enjoys tearing into his opponents' flesh with his bare hands, but also carries the blood of the Orochi demon in his veins. She was always told that his claim of detesting violence was just a lie to convince others that he was an innocent, and his eyes revealed his true thoughts. Her brother, Kyo, is the only man strong enough to fight him on his own will, the rivalry that both families have been through for the past 800 years keeps him in check for the next match every time their last brawl comes to a draw. Until now she had never seen him or known what he looked like; Kyo never let her be anywhere close to a fight between the two.

She thought back to the day Iori had rescued her from Yamazaki. He said that the only reason he'd bother to help her at all was because of the number of people watching him ignore the situation; it is a big crime to walk away from an accident or some other life threatening situation knowing that there was someone in need of assistance. _That was a good enough reason._ The thoughts then flashed to two days later when she ran into him and that woman. At that time, Shermie was the only one who bothered to help while Iori watched with a smile. She remembered how safe he looked. The way he stood straight with no signs of fear, hatred, or worry in his eyes; it seemed like nothing could hurt him when he was like that. Even if that were, he did not look or feel like a demon. After Shermie had knocked out Yamazaki he even complemented her and let them walk with him to the park.

She closed her eyes tightly and re-opened them to stop the thoughts and sat up in the large hotel bed. The early morning sun had lit up the wide room, revealing it as a cozy and comfortable alternative to home. After hearing rumors of Kyo showing up in France of all places, Yuki immediately took the first plane there, without telling Benimaru or Goro, and began her search; not caring about the consequences of missing so much school. _The worst thing about this_, she continuously told herself, _is that I might not see you for Christmas..._ With not another word, she stood up and walked to the bathroom for a hot shower to start a new day's search.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

"KYOOOOO!!! Where the hell are you!" The frustrated red-head dug his hands deep into the glass walls of a business building. "COWARD!!!" He clutched the glass tightly, ignoring the blood and pain. Throughout the whole night his thoughts and dreams were filled with Kyo and a every reason he could think of why he would run away from their fate. "It's not fair..." he whispered to his disfigured reflection. "You find the easiest ways out... while I'm still wallowing away in this hell... You always find the short-cuts through things... even if it's a cowardly act like running away... you still go through with it... My damn pride gets in my way unlike yours... ....IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!" He pushed himself away, looking at his bloody hands. "Dastard... My hands are stained by the blood of those who have gotten in my way." He looked up at his reflection and noticed people watching him from a safe distance. "If you continue to run, then you continue to force me to harm more people...." His eyes stared deep into his tainted blood, his thoughts focusing on one thing. _There's no real reason for you to have left, is there?_ _You have so much hear, your friends; your life_, his arm twitched as his body grew warm and a brilliant flame ignited in his palm, glowing in an abnormal purple, _and your only family._ "Coward...." Knowing very well he was about to lose control, Iori stopped himself from thinking about Kyo even further and walked away.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

"Welcome, Mr. Yagami!" Sally greeted as Iori walked through Illusion's doors. "Would you like the usual? On a cold day like this, the best thing we have is..."

"Where's King?" he interrupted calmly.

"Miss. King? She's in the kitchen looking for some more glasses. I'll call her out if you want."

He ignored her and walked straight ahead to a metal door behind the bar. Since his outburst earlier in the morning, Iori could not stop thinking about his rivle, no matter how much he tried, the more he thought about him the more he craved for his blood. He needed to keep himself occupied. "King!" The kitchen was dark except for the light given off by the open door; a maze of metal tables, sinks, and refrigerators-a good place for someone to hide. Even though he hated to, he needed someone strong enough to stand a chance against him, and King was the only person he knew around.

"You finally came back for the favor?" a shadow asked from behind, a smile creacking on her face. "I knew you'd come along eventually." The older woman held her fists up and brought her right leg forward in her famous Muay Thai stance.

"Sugu raku ni shite yaru..." Iori turned to his opponent and waited.

In a sudden burst, King started with a run towards Iori leading to a barrage of high and low kicks, being easily avoided. Moving in, Iori reached out for her head, but that was what she wanted. At the last second, the blond sidestepped the grab and countered with a hard kick to the back of his head, sending him through the bar. The pain in his body was strong but it didn't weaken him as he stood. Focusing on King running at him again, he braced himself as he felt the power of her kick seding him through the glass windows and into the snow covered street. King watched as Iori hit the road and roll to his knees. Grabbing her pair of gloves, she walked out to the sidewalk. "Since you're the one who started this," she winked, "I expect you to pay for at least sixty-percent of the damages." Iori stood up as a car shrieked to a stop and allowed her her time as she put on the signature purple-red gloves.

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

Snow began to fall heavier and heavier and, as the morning went on, Yuki found herself walking back early to the hotel alone. She had searched every place she thought he missing brother may have been or stayed, but all were dead ends. She was so sure she'd find him that morning but, as in any other day, her luck failed. Walking down the busy sidewalk, she'd glance around every once in a while at any guy that might fit her brother's description or through the windows of a buildings, hoping he'd be drinking a cup of coffee in a small cafe or shopping for souvenirs to bring home.

As she made her way back to the hotel, she noticed a considerable amount of people gathering further down the street. Curious, she followed the mob to the location of the Illusion bar. A large group of people spanning both sides of the street gathered, blocking any motorist from passing through. Every one whispered in awe as they watched what sounded like an incredible fight. Yuki fought through the crowd, hoping they were watching her brother in action, but instead found Iori Yagami and Illusion's bar-tender, King, fighting in the middle of the street. Both looked tired and worn out but determined to finish.

Yuki watched as King stood ready for another attack from Iori; her breathing steady but heavy. The stand-off lasted another minute or so, when, at last, Iori charged with a fierce look in his eyes. King planted her feet into the snow and stood her ground as she waited for the right moment to strike. "Tornado Kick!" she shouted as she dodged a punch aimed for her head. With her strong legs, she launched herself into the air, kicking Iori up several times followed by one last plunge into his gut with her heel, sending him straight to the ground.

Almost instantly, Iori stood up, licking a droplet of blood from the corner of his mouth with a satisfied smile and spitting it back out onto the snow. King was not at all surprised, but now she was becoming serious; a challenge from Iori Yagami was to the end. She noticed his smile disappear as he flung his hand forward, releasing a wave of purple flame on the ground. She ran head on towards the fire till the last second where she volted to the side and forced herself into a slide, striking his left shin. Before Iori could react, King proceeded the attack with a back-flip leading to her Trap Shot. She aimed most of her kicks for his stomach and finished it with a hard kick to his chest. _That had to have done something_, she thought as she watched her opponent land on the hood of a parked car.

The crowd immediately clapped and cheered as they witnessed the defeat of the man so-called "the vicious of fighters" by the hands, or rather legs, of a woman. Yuki was somewhat disappointed that she finally got to see Iori fight but lose, after all, this was the man her brother had dubbed "a heart-less demon". But, in a way, she was glad he lost; he just proved Kyo wrong. As the spectators passed and exchanged their money, a loud thump was heard over the cheers. The crowd silenced down to a whisper as they saw Iori Yagami struggle to his feet. He supported himself on his hands and knees, vomiting a small amount of blood onto the already tainted snow. A quiet laugh started as he threw up then gradually became louder as he forced himself to stand despite the pain.

Now King was surprised. After taking all those hits to the stomach and almost having his breastbone crack from that last kick, the man should still be down. Iori's laugh grew louder and more maniacal. "Now I fight," he said as he ran at King; catching her by surprise, he jammed his elbow in her stomach and grabbed her head, releasing a wave of purple flames as he slammed her to the ground. She let out a sound of pain as she rolled to her knees. _Should've been more cautious after he went down!_

Since the last tournament, Iori had never had a descent fight until now. King was much better than last he remembered, but she was still no match for him. He sneered at her, waiting for her to make a move. For the longest time she didn't move from her kneeling position, he knew she wanted him to make the first move again. _Why not humor her?_ He formed a bright flame in his hand and sent it running along the ground; he waited to see what she was going to do when he saw leg twitch. "Double Strike!" he heard her shout as she jolted up, turning in two complete circles, kicking and sending a ball energy on each; one cancelling Iori's attack the other hitting him with great speed. As soon as she saw it hit she instantly jumped high into the air and came down with a kick, her Surprise Rose was successful in landing six various hits on Iori. The hits he received surprised him in that it took him a while to regain his balance and thoughts. When he did finally recover, however, he was met with another kick as King performed her ending Silent Flash. 

"Baka!" As she managed the last kick in her desperation attack, Iori pulled away and grabbed her leg in mid-air, swinging her down to the ground. As he watched her roll to a stop he cupped his hand and closed his eye. A warm sensation filled his body as he concentrated on his target; picturing her in his mind, he could see that she was waiting. The warmth spread and grew as a spark lit in his palm. A soft-blue flame flickered slowly, increasing its shade to a deep purple. He could feel a sharp, intense pain slowly crawl up his spine as held his free hand over the dancing flame, nurturing it. "Raku ni shine zo!" With one swing of his arm, he let the wild flame race to his opponent.

The attack was too fast for King to avoid. She tried to block, but in a flash a dark pillar of fire exploded on her. She was trapped, paralyzed by the immense power and pain. No matter how much she tried to escape the pillar held steady; all she could do was watch. Her vision blurred and sharpened as she forced herself to take the pain, catching glimpse of a grin on Iori's face.

"Asobi wa owari da!" A demented, inhuman cry echoed as he rushed in to release his onslaught. He was so close, he could feel her fear. He pulled back his arm, getting it ready to rip into her body, when he felt something run past him. In his state of insanity, he barely noticed as a blur positioned itself in front of his victim.

"Stop it! Please!" Yuki's cry took him out of his trance, but it was too late to stop. He slid uncontrollably in the snow until he crashed into her. The break of concentration caused the hold on King to be broken, but not before Yuki was knocked back and burned by the flame. Iori rolled his knees and instantly grabbed her right arm, jerking her away before she was hurt any further.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He tightened his grip around her arm and pulled her closer. 

Yuki winced at the pain from both the burn and Iori then smiled weakly. "I didn't want you to prove them right."

Iori narrowed his eyes and growled. "What the hell are you talking about?! 

"When you were fighting, there were no chills, but when started your last attack, something wasn't right."

Iori stared at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe that she would be so stupid as to run right between him and King when he about rip her apart. He shut his eyes and showed his teeth, angry enough to squeezed Yuki's wrist tighter until she gasped with pain._ Stupid girl! _The red-head looked down at her and noticed her left shoulder bleeding. With a hateful look in his eyes, he let go and began to walk back to the hotel. Remembering about his downed opponent, he turned to the stron blond who was holding an injured arm to both support it and cover her torn shirt and cummerbund.

"...You... went easier on me than I'd expected..." She stumbled a little but regained her balance with Sally's help. "I seriously hope you don't want to finish me off now," she smiled, closing one eye in pain. "You'd better remember to pay for sixty-percent of these damages." A big grin appeared on her dirty face. "I'll send you the bill later."

Iori closed his eyes and continued his way back to the hotel, his mind blank, trying not to think about the stupidity Kyo's sister had just shown. _I guess it does run in the family, not just you; still, she did show more bravery than I've seen from you. Dastard....._

* * *

Well, this is the end so far. More to come^^ 


	3. Default Chapter Title

# _Lonely Crescent_

Chapter5:_  
_Reject

Iori awoke with a gasp, his heart pounding and his head hurting. _What the hell was that? _He went over what he could remember from the dream, but it didn't make any sense to him; he had never had a dream about that day, so why now? He combed his fingers through his wet, matted hair and glanced at the two dangling objects on the wall, letting out a sigh of relief. He laid silently for a while then looked over at the clock. "7:30?" He bolted up, closing his eyes at the sudden rush of light and letting out another sigh. "Kusanagi..." With one last moment of silence, the tired red-head stood up and walked to the bathroom for a warm shower to start his day.

He wondered why he suddenly dreamt about them. _They deserved what they got, so why is it coming back?_ He thought about the starting of the match and the cheering of the audience.

After the quick shower, he noticed his shirt torn and bloody and remembered about King. She had become so much better than the last time, which made the fight far better than most. He was glad he challenged her.

The room was quiet and cool, and, as he looked out the window, the streets, were covered in a thick, soft layer of snow. It was a perfect sight to wake up to; a scene like this was what he loved, quiet and pleasant to look at. As he sat by the window, towel hanging over his shoulder and drying his hair, admiring the sun as it outlined the clouds and lit the streets, his serene moment was broken by a knock at the door.

"What is it --?!" His words caught in his throat as he opened the door . "What... the hell are you doing here?!"

Yuki smiled, holding up a basket covered with a piece of cloth. "Miss. King wanted me to bring this to you."

"How the hell did you find me?"

"Miss. King asked around," she smiled. She held the basket higher for Iori. "She also said that the total for the damage is in here, and to see her as soon as you can."

Iori looked down at the basket then at Yuki, opening the door a little more to let her in."Put it one the table and get out."

The young Kusanagi blinked quickly with surprise, slowing her pace as she walked in. She couldn't understand why he was so mad at her. _Did that fight mean that much to him? _With a weak smile, she gently placed the basket on the small kitchen table and stood quietly, holding her burnt shoulder.

"Well?" Iori growled, towling his still soaked hair.

Taking a deep breath, the young girl quickly spun around to face him. "I almost forgot!" Forcing a smile on her face she ran out the door, grabbed a shopping bag she had against the wall, and handed it to him. "It took me a while to find them, but I hope they make up for most of yesterday."

Looking into the bag, Yagami reached in and pulled out a folded white cloth and red pants then quickly glanced back at Yuki.

She looked away with a shy smile. "I noticed yesterday that your clothes were torn and bloody. It looked to me like that was your favorite outfit, so I got you some replacements. The jacket, though, seemed to be original, so I figured I could sew it up for you and try to get the blood stains out." She looked up only to be met with a cold glare. Her smiled weakened as she became more and more nervous. "Is something wrong?"

"Get out!" Iori commanded in a loathsome whisper, shoving the bag into her arms.

Yuki froze in disbelief. Holding the bag securely close, she forced another smile and faced him. "I really am sorry about yesterday, I truly am!" She held the bag closer to her chest. "I didn't think that the match meant that much to you! I stupidly assumed that my words could so simply change your choice in that fight--"

"I don't care about that anymore!" Iori snapped.

The room was in silence as their eyes fixed on each other. Yuki watched suspenseful as Iori broke away to yank the door open. "Out!" he repeated in the same sullen whisper.

Holding back a tear, she slowly walked to him, her body tense with shock. She couldn't understand why he was so upset with her. _He said he didn't care about the fight, so why?_ Then it occurred to her.

"It's because I'm Kyo's sister, isn't it?" She stopped in front of the Yagami and gazed at the floor. "You're only mad at me because I'm Kusinagi!" She jerked her head up and stared apologetically into his eyes for an answer. "There's no reason for that! It's not fair! I don't care about what happened hundreds of years ago! There's no need to be so hostile with me if I really don't have any part in this!"

Iori quietly waited for her to finish. He didn't care about what she was saying, he just wanted her gone. After she calmed, he stared her down, making the already upset girl even more tense and nervous. "I want you out! Now!"

Yuki was rejected.

Her mind was a blank as she stood alone in the hall, hearing the door slam behind her. _Why...?_ she asked herself, letting out a quiet sob. _Why does he have to be so mean?_ She held her bag close, walking down the long, empty hall.

* * *

Chapter 6:  
Super-Star

Keeping her head low and holding the department store bag close, Yuki walked sullenly through the half empty streets. She watched the snow pass beneath her as she thought about what had just happened. _I was just trying to be nice and apologize for the other day. But there was also that little outburst. Maybe he just doesn't like me because I'm a bothersome, little girl._ "I shouldn't have accused him like that." She looked up from her thoughts as she heard voices, seeing two people arguing at a street corner. One of them, a girl dressed in a heavy, hooded coat over a red turtle-neck and skirt, was angrily pointing at a street sign then at a sheet of paper, shouting at the other, a boy in a blue shirt and jeans under a lighter, blue jacket, who seemed annoyed. He crossed his arms and turned his back to her, pouting.

Yuki quietly watched as the amusing argument continued for a minute or so, interfering only when she was flagged down by the purple-haired girl.

"Excuse me!" she called, waving her arms in the air. "Could you possibly help us?"

Yuki walked up to them with a warm smile. "What do you need?"

The girl tilted her head slightly with a curious look. "You looked familiar. What's your name?"

Yuki's smile grew. "It's Yuki Kusanagi."

"Kyo's sister, right? We've meet before, remember? My name's Athena Asamiya."

"Miss Asamiya, the famous singer and fighter?!"

"The same. But don't call me "Miss Asamiya", Athena's just fine." She looked back at the brown-haired boy, who was still facing the other direction, and pulled him back by his ear. "I don't know if you've meet, but this is Sie Kensou."

Sie straightened up and extended his hand. "It's a great honor to shake the hand of one who has touched Kyo Kusanagi."

"That's... nice." She turned turned to Athena who was red with embarrassment. "What was it that you needed?"

Athena handed her a smile piece of paper. "We need to find this hotel, but we can't seem to find the right street."

The Kusanagi girl's smile calmed. "I know where this is." She turned back the way she came. "Come on! I'll take you there myself!"

Through the whole hour walk Yuki and Athena talked about the past and future, tournaments, themselves, and whatever else they could think. Sie followed slowly behind, hoping not to get involved as the two girls gossiped and giggled. Finally, the trio reached their destination.

"So," Yuki started, turning to her new friend, "are you going to be staying here for a concert tour or what?"

The soldier shook her head, her expression much more calm. "I need to see someone and I heard he was staying here."

Yuki was quiet watching the two walk up to the stairs. She knew she was no longer needed so she turned back, only to be stopped in her tracks by an uneasy feeling. She glanced back to see Iori glaring at her; freezing as she remembered his actions from before. They were both still and quiet until Athena's voice rang out.

"Mr. Yagami! I've been looking everywhere for you!" She ran up to him, keeping her distance, and took a quick bow. "My name is Athena Asamiya."

Yagami looked down at her, uncaring. "What do you want?"

Athena held her hands together with a small bounce. "I've come to challenge you as part of my training."

"So, the first of them arrives." Iori continued to give her the same look, taking his stance with the same words, " Sugu raku ni shite yaru."

Athena took another appreciative bow as a bright light engulfed her then disappear, leaving her in a red blouse and shorter skirt. She immediately moved to her own stance and waited, psyching herself up for this fight. Soon after she had received her invitation, Iori Yagami was the first name to pop in her mind for training purposes. Now that she has finally found him she's become more nervous, knowing all too well that she has to work twice as hard to beat this man. Keeping her eyes focused on him, Athena took a deep breath and swung her arms forward.

"Psycho Ball!" A large, orange ball of energy shot like a bullet from her swing, flying fast to its target.

With a devilish sneer, Iori ran to meet the attack. Jumping high enough to avoid it, he swung his arm down in an arch with a claw of purple flames. Athena's eyes grew wide with surprise as she jumped back from the hit.

"It was fast," she whispered to herself, retaking her stance, "but it is nothing to worry about."

Iori smiled at her assumption. "Doushita!" He formed another wild flame in his palm and tossed it to the ground, watching as it sped to her. Immediately, Athena skipped forward and pushed her arms out, reflecting the flame back. She followed it quickly with a teleport to her opponent's back for a sneak attack, but the plan failed. Taking advantage of the quick second wait to regain herself, Iori rolled to the side before the flame could hit. Fully aware of the danger, the soldier managed to materialize and volt to the side in time, but then she remembered. Turning quickly to her right, she barely had enough time to side-step an uppercut, returning the attack with her own Psycho Sword; yet, once again, it failed. Iori was just one inch out of her reach, landing safely on the ground. Frustrated, Athena rolled herself into a ball in mid-air, aiming for her opponent. Relaying on feeling, she wasn't aware of Iori's position and eventually missed, rolling to a slow halt and standing to meet him; but he was gone.

_Where is he...?_ She looked in every direction, but he was no where. "The coward!" she whispered to herself, keeping on guard.

"Athena," she heard Kensou call, "he's-!"

"I don't need your help!" she snapped back.

Kensou withdrew. "She sure has her mind set on this." He turned to Yuki with a confident smile. "Who are you cheering for?"

"Neither. It'll go either way." _But with the luck Athena's been having..._ she added to herself. "Aren't you at all worried?"

Kensou didn't answer, he just continued to watch with an admiring smile.

Athena, frustrated with luck and over assumptions, backed up against a large conifer, back straight and hands up defensively. _Where? Where? Where?_ She closed her eyes to calm herself and let out a heavy sigh. _This is annoying!!_ She glanced left, right but nothing. There was a tense silence as the suspense rose higher and higher until her stomach ached with worry, her muscles tightening and her breath increasing. Again, she glanced to her right - only a boy walking his puppy; to the left - a couple walking arm in arm; back- a man out on his early morning jog; forward - Kensou and Yuki watching on. _Where...?_ Finally, she straightened as she saw it from the corner of her eye: bits of snow and needle leaves drifting down. She was breathless as her eyes shot up and found the Yagami standing on a low branch, sneering down like a devil.

She stared at him tensely, waiting for to move. After a long and gruelling paralyzes, Athena finally gathered her thoughts and volt forward as he leaped down. She tried her best to get as far away, but, as he landed, Iori grabbed her thick purple hair and slammed her back against the trunk. She closed her eyes and winced in pain as her head bounced off the wood and Iori's hand pressed against her throat and chest.

"Well," she heard him whisper, "are you still up for the challenge?" He smiled softly as she opened an eye. "You know you're beat, so give up and I won't have to finish you like the others."

Athena stared into his eyes - part in anger, part in fear - and let out a quiet sigh; turning away. "You win," she answered reluctantly. She yelled at herself for not being able to get even one hit in. _You're a Psycho Soldier, defender of those in need, and you let someone like him beat you?!_ Suddenly, she felt him getting closer. His hand lifted up from her throat and rested on the trunk. Her cheeks grew warm as she saw him inches from her face with a calm smile.

"Well," he started softly, weaving his fingers through her soft hair, "since I accepted your challenge and won, I believe you owe me something."

Athena looked away again, blushing in her awkward situation. "And that would be...?"

After long, quiet seconds, she felt the space between them increase and his hand push off the tree.

"All I want is a good breakfast. I haven't eaten anything all morning, and this fight's made it worse."

The purple-haired girl stared in disbelief then smiled. " 'Breakfast'? I thought you'd ask more than that for this fight."

"And what were you thinking I'd ask? This fight was nothing. You were far too slow for me to even break a sweat, muchless have any fun." He turned his back.

_He insulted me?!_ She narrowed her eyes and stomped in his path. "That wasn't a nice thing to say to someone, especially if they're going to feed you!"

The read-head gave her a quick smirk and placed his hand on her head as if she were a child. "I'm sorry, I guess. I just don't like fighting people who can't stand their ground after assuming they can."

"Quit insulting me!" 

Yuki watched steadily as Iori and Athena had their after-battle talk. He seemed nicer to her than she'd ever seen, even with King and Shermie. She noticed Athena smile every time he said something. _Maybe they like each other._ Yuki let out a sigh and saw Kensou fold his arms across his chest with jealous eyes.

"Are they... together?" she asked him shyly.

Kensou was quiet for a while, then whispered to himself, "I hope not!"

As Iori watched Athena run to the others, he felt somewhat empty inside. He was expecting more from the purple-haired soldier than what he encountered; especially after seeing her fight more aggressively against the Bogard's and Sakazaki's team as first pick, being finally beaten by the youngest and last of the Ikari Team. Just for fun, he had wanted to have a quick all-out match with her to test her skill; and, now that it's come, he was disappointed. Truth be told, he so wanted to give it his all, to fight with every fiber of strength as he did with King. But, as soon as he realized her potential, he held back - severely; he even kept back his final attack.

_Demon indeed..._ he thought with a chuckle. His smile was wiped off though as he noticed Athena pleading with Yuki. She didn't seem to be up for whatever it was that Athena wanted and walked off with a small bow and smile, not at all changing her glance to Iori. He was relieved.

"Mr. Yagami!" Athena turned her attention to him as her coat reappeared out of no where in mid-air. "Would you like to go now? I know of this nice, little café where they serve the tastiest breakfast sausages!"

_Maybe I shouldn't have asked._ As he walked to meet her, a though came to mind. "Have you received an invitation?"

The "psycho" gave him a blank stare. " 'Invitation'? Was I invited to a party? As the entertainment!? I don't remember anything."

"I think he means to the tournament." Kensou corrected, exchanging steady, rivaling eyes with Yagami.

" 'Tournament'?" Athena paused to think. "That's right!" She pulled something from behind her red top and shoved it into the red-head's face. "You mean this, right?"

"You're going to enter again then?" he questioned, moving her arm.

"YUP!" She popped three fingers up. "All three of us!" Within seconds, her expression calmed and she lowered her hand to her side. "Have... you gotten one also?"

Iori nodded expressionlessly.

"So, then, you're accepting?"

"Why wouldn't I?!" he sneered. "I'm perfectly capable of it."

"So who are your team mates this year?" Kensou interrupted.

Iori glared at him with narrowed eyes then calmly smiled. "Luckily, I was given the choice to enter alone; which is the best thing this damned game could offer. Making up for mistakes of the past, I guess." He closed his eyes with an eerily calm smile to relish in the thought of fighting alone. An unpleasant feeling settled in their stomachs as Athena and Kensou studied the odd red-head, the notions of a monomaniac coming to mind. Both waited patiently for him to come back to reality; not daring to disturb him.

From time to time, as she waited, the purple-haired soldier felt an awkward sensation in the back of her mind. She slowly closed her eyes to ease the feeling only to have it followed by a bloody vision. With a choking gasp, her eyes flew wide open; the remnants of the scene still fresh. It scared her to even remember it, and the tightening of her frightened muscles caused her tremble and shudder uncontrollably. Kensou placed a supporting hand on her back, but she paid no mind. She hugged herself tightly to unsuccessfully calm her shaking, looking up at Iori with anguish.

He was calm throughout the whole ordeal, but it did bothered him some. He gazed at her with an almost saddened look, knowing well that she able to see it - the tournament visions that haunted him. For what seemed like hours, Athena tried to figure out what it was that she in him; calming down and standing straight only when he spoke up.

"I changed my mind for breakfast," he bearly spoke above a whisper, turning back to Illusion's direction. "You don't owe me anything but a rematch. Train hard, 'cause I go all out at the tournaments." And with that, the red-head Yagami walked back to his safe-house, arms folded across his chest, clenching tightly to the warm cloth of his coat.

Athena was silent as she watched him walk away from his troubles, not knowing what to think of the lonely stray.

* * *

Finished with two more! 


End file.
